Research Administrator III

Research Administrator III

This position serves to support the research faculty in the Department of Medicine, one of the largest departments in the College of Medicine with over 1,000 employees. This role in Medicine involves developing and managing complex proposals to federal, state, and private funding agencies, and ensuring compliance with regulations and guidelines. The position also provides post-award financial administration and management for complex research funds, interpreting program funding guidelines, and preparing renewals and reports for grant agencies.

The Research Administrator III coordinates and manages multiparty, complex projects in accordance with university and sponsor regulations. They provide policy and procedure interpretation to faculty, units, staff, and research administrators, assisting with monitoring and preparation of reports to sponsoring agencies. Additionally, the position focuses on advancing service delivery and efficiency, monitoring quality, performance improvement, and continual process assessment. The Research Administrator III is responsible for building relationships with units within the department, college and university constituents, supporting a culture centered on delivering excellent customer service.

Essential Functions:

• Proposal Development and Pre-Award Support
• Collaborate with Principal Investigators (PIs) to develop and submit complex proposals for federal, state, and private funding agencies.
• Offer training and resources on proposal preparation and submission processes.
• Provide expert guidance and technical assistance throughout the proposal development process.
• Review and interpret Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to identify sponsor requirements.
• Assist in the preparation of accurate budgets and documentation for each proposal.
• Coordinate the collection and review of required documentation from subrecipients, including statements of work, letters of collaboration, cost-sharing commitments, detailed budgets, and budget justifications.
• Ensure proposals meet sponsor and university guidelines, including formatting, multi-project/multi-party budget preparation, and documentation requirements.
• Identify potential issues with proposals and provide recommendations for resolution.
• Enter and manage proposal data in UFIRST, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Oversee the submission process, ensuring timely and thorough submission to the Office of Research.

• Post-Award Management and Compliance
• Review grant and contract award terms and conditions to determine budgetary requirements, restrictions, invoicing schedules, and other details.
• Actively participate in the negotiation of award terms with sponsors to secure favorable conditions in line with university policies.
• Coordinate with Contracts & Grants and other central university offices for proper processing and acceptance of awards.
• Oversee the financial management of complex grants and contracts, ensuring expenses are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and consistent with sponsor regulations.
• Monitor grant spending, provide budget revisions, and process no-cost extensions as needed.
• Prepare and submit financial reports to sponsors, PIs, and departmental administrators.
• Collaborate with PIs, department administrators, sponsors, and university offices to resolve financial and administrative issues.
• Address and correct errors in fund management, ensuring compliance with sponsor financial guidelines.
• Assist with project close-out, including transferring residual accounts and reconciling expenditures.
• Analyze project expenses, develop cost projections, and provide financial tracking to ensure fiscal control.
• Regularly monitor expenditures to identify potential budget overruns or savings.
• Prepare and submit accurate financial reports to PIs, departments, and sponsors.
• Ensure timely invoicing and collection of revenue, accurately presenting invoices to sponsors.

Serve as the primary contact and liaison for departmental faculty and staff, as well as the Office of Research, regarding pre-award and post-award processes.

Develop and maintain strong working relationships with faculty, research administrators, and other campus…